New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor Exam Study Guide
This guide covers what you need for the New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor exam: the key facts from the official bulletin, the topics it tests, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a plan to prepare. PSI gives the exam.
New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor Exam at a Glance
Here are the exam's key facts from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 50 questions |
| Time limit | 130 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
| Exam fee | The fee is $84 for the HVACR Trade examination and $47 for the Business and Law examination, and fees are not refundable or transferable. |
On exam day
- Candidates must present one valid, unexpired, signature-bearing photo ID from the approved list, matching the name used to register, or they will not be allowed to test and the fee is forfeited.
- Candidates should arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment time.
- Candidates bring their own references, which may be highlighted, underlined and indexed beforehand but not written in, may not include extra loose or attached papers, and (per the Business and Law section) an Internet download must be spiral bound, hole-punched in a binder, or stapled in the left hand corner.
- Highlighting and underlining done before the exam are permitted, writing in the references is not, and only permanent tabs may be used.
- An online calculator is available to candidates during the examination.
- A handheld ductulator is allowed in the examination center.
References you may bring
- International Mechanical Code (HVACR Trade) (2018; starting 3/13/2024 the 2021 code will be allowed, and as of 6/13/2024 the 2018 code will no longer be allowed)
- International Fuel Gas Code (HVACR Trade) (2018; starting 3/13/2024 the 2021 code will be allowed, and as of 6/13/2024 the 2018 code will no longer be allowed)
- Manual J - Residential Load Calcs (HVACR Trade) (reprinted 2016)
- NASCLA Contractors' Guide to Business, Law and Project Management (Business and Law) (Basic 11th Edition)
- New Jersey Permanent Statutes, Title 45 Professions and Occupations, New Jersey Uniform Enforcement Act, NJSA 45:1.1 through 45:1.53 (Business and Law) (latest available)
- New Jersey Permanent Statutes, Title 2A Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice, Construction Lien Law, NJSA 2A:44-1 through 2A:44-38 (Business and Law) (latest available)
Study references listed in the bulletin (not allowed in the exam room)
- Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (HVACR Trade) (20th, 21st, or 22nd Edition; starting 12/1/2026 the 20th edition will no longer be used)
- HVAC Duct Construction Standards, Metal and Flexible (HVACR Trade) (2005 or 2020, 3rd or 4th edition; starting 12/1/2026 the 2005 3rd edition will no longer be used)
- Ugly's Electrical References, George V. Hart (HVACR Trade) (2017, 2020 or 2023 edition)
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- You may cancel and reschedule without forfeiting your fee if PSI receives the cancellation notice 2 days before the scheduled examination date, and a voice mail message is not acceptable.
- Missing the appointment, arriving after the examination start time, failing to cancel 2 days in advance, or not presenting proper identification means you cannot test and you forfeit your examination fee.
- Scores are given immediately after the examination, with a successful score report for passers and a diagnostic report of strengths and weaknesses for those who do not pass.
- Candidates who fail may retest an unlimited number of times but must wait 6 months between attempts.
Source: Master HVACR Contractor Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin — New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractor, Updated 9/3/2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor Exam Covers
The official content outline has 8 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Knowledge, Motors, and Controls | 7 | 14% |
| Piping - Refrigeration, Hydronic, Steam, Process | 7 | 14% |
| Heating and Cooling Principles, Theory, and Equipment | 8 | 16% |
| Refrigerants and Refrigeration | 8 | 16% |
| Fuel and LP Gas | 5 | 10% |
| Combustion Air, Chimneys, Flues and Vents | 5 | 10% |
| Ducts, Ventilation and Exhaust | 5 | 10% |
| Load Calculations | 5 | 10% |
How to Prepare for the New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor Exam
Start with the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are your main study tool. Get the editions the bulletin names.
Learn where things are. Read the table of contents and the index of each book until you know where every major subject lives. On test day, finding an answer fast matters more than memorizing it.
Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Spend most of your time on the biggest topics. Heating and Cooling Principles, Theory, and Equipment and Refrigerants and Refrigeration make up 32% of the exam.
Take timed practice exams. The clock trains you to find answers at the pace the real exam needs: about 2 minutes 36 seconds per question.
Aim to pass more than once. One passing score can be luck. Several in a row means you're ready.
Reference Books for the New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor Exam
The bulletin lists references allowed in the examination center and references not allowed for each portion, and notes that except for Code books answers may be based on later editions.
Where to get them:
On Test Day
- Go through the whole exam first. Answer every question you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
- Then go back to your bookmarks and work them out.
- Don't let one question eat your time. You have 130 minutes for 50 questions, which is about 2 minutes 36 seconds per question.
- Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.
Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.
On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.
Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.
Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.
Sample New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor Practice Questions
These questions come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Piping - Refrigeration, Hydronic, Steam, Process
Question: Double flares are recommended only for tubing of what minimum size?
- A. 1/4″
- B. 3/8″
- C. 5/16″
- D. 1/8″
Correct Answer: C
According to Modern Refrigeration And Air Conditioning, Section 5.5.1 (22nd ed.; 8.5.1 in the 20th), double flares are recommended only for larger size tubing, 5/16″ and over. Such flares are not easily formed on smaller tubing.
Reference: Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (22nd ed.), Chapter 5 - Working with Tubing and Piping, Page 80 (Section 5.5.1) (20th ed.: Chapter 8, Section 8.5.1)
Sample 2 — Fuel and LP Gas
Question: You are planning to connect metallic piping from an LP-gas storage container to a building. What type of fitting is required on the underground-to-aboveground transition before the pipe enters the building?
- A. Compression fitting
- B. Union fitting
- C. Dielectric fitting
- D. Flanged fitting
Correct Answer: C
Per IFGC Section 404.10, metallic piping and metallic tubing that conveys fuel gas from an LP-gas storage container shall be provided with an approved dielectric fitting to electrically isolate the underground portion from the above-ground portion entering a building. The fitting shall be installed above ground, outdoors.
Reference: IFGC 2021 Page 4-42
Sample 3 — Combustion Air, Chimneys, Flues and Vents
Question: When combustion air openings are equipped with volume, smoke, or fire dampers, what operational interlock is required?
- A. Dampers must be linked to the building fire alarm panel
- B. Dampers must cycle open every 15 minutes during standby
- C. Appliances shall be prevented from operating when any damper is closed
- D. Dampers must open when room temperature exceeds 95°F
Correct Answer: C
Per IMC Section 701.2, where combustion air openings are provided with volume, smoke, or fire dampers, the dampers shall be interlocked with the firing cycle of the appliances served so as to prevent operation of any appliance that draws combustion air from the room or space when any of the dampers are closed.
Reference: IMC 2021 Section 701.2
Sample 4 — Ducts, Ventilation and Exhaust
Question: In a residential installation without a basement, which type of duct system is typically used with a downflow furnace and ducts embedded in a concrete slab?
- A. Perimeter loop system
- B. Extended plenum system
- C. Reducing trunk system
- D. Radial duct system
Correct Answer: A
According to Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Chapter 30 (22nd ed.; 29 in the 20th), perimeter loop duct systems are used with downflow furnaces in homes without basements. The ductwork is laid out in the concrete slab, with branch ducts connecting to a perimeter duct and diffusers connected at intervals along the floor.
Reference: Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (22nd ed.), Chapter 30 - Air Distribution, Page 672 (20th ed.: Page 755)
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF shows you questions. It doesn't show you the clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers under time pressure, not just reading them. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break the score down by outline topic so you know what to study next.
Start Practicing
Take the free New Jersey Master HVACR Contractor practice exam to see where you stand, then work through the topics that need attention. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.